This invention relates to multi-purpose yard maintenance apparatus which is powered by a light weight gasoline engine.
At the present time there are several multi-purpose machines available. One such arrangement is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 2,535,614 to Van Ausdall Here a gasoline engine powered tractor unit is equipped to have cultivator plows attached to a rear section or a reel lawn mower attached to a forward section. This piece of equipment is very heavy, has a limited range of uses and is relatively expensive.
U.S. Pat. No. 4, 597,203 is directed to convertible yard maintenance equipment with the primary unit comprising a snow blower. The powered system of the equipment is designed to attach with a rotary mower unit, a vacuum unit, an edging unit, a tiller assembly, a blower unit or a sprayer assembly. Again all of this equipment is relatively expensive and very heavy and bulky.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,502,943 to Gordon is directed to a sickle-bar hedge trimmer which may be attached to a frame having a handle and a pair of wheels for use as a sickle-bar mower. Here the sickle-bar mechanism is driven by an electrical motor and the wheeled frame handle unit has but one use.
It is the object of the present invention to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art arrangements discussed above.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an inexpensive attachment which broadens the range of use of a multi-purpose yard maintenance piece of equipment.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a light weight sickle-bar mower arrangement for use with multi-purpose yard equipment.
It is another object of the invention to provide a safe and effective mower for use with under growth including high grass, vines, weeds, and brush.
Another object of the invention is to provide a light weight sickle-bar mower which is safe to operate on steep slopes.